Over time, I will add resources to this website that will help you explore the night sky. And if you are a teacher, you will find the resources helpful in your teaching of some sections of the Australian Curriculum: Science Earth & Space Sciences component. Amazing Space! Student Newsletter Download a free ‘Amazing Space!’ student […]
Introduction Heavens-Above.com provides free customised information for your location including whole sky star charts, predictions for the visibility of the International Space Station and other satellites (including Iridium flares). Bookmarks for all capital cities are provided below. If you are located elsewhere, you can customise one of the below links to your location. All you […]
Free student astronomy newsletter You can download a free ‘Amazing Space!’ student newsletter for each term. The newsletter’s content will vary but currently includes finder charts for planets visible to the unaided eye (in the early evening sky), where to look for easily recognisable constellations and Moon phases for the months of that term. Potential […]
Moon passes Jupiter 2 – 4 March 2015 / Great Red Spot visible Tuesday night through a telescope
(Posted 1 March 2015) Look above the North Eastern horizon over the next few nights and you will notice a very bright star near the Moon. That bright star is really the planet Jupiter. Dust off your binoculars or that unused telescope you bought last Christmas and you will be rewarded with a view of the largest […]
Tonight! Moon, Venus, Mars and Uranus in straight line in evening twilight
(Posted 22 February 2015) Assuming you have clear skies, Venus, Mars and a slim crescent Moon will be visible to the unaided eye low above the Western horizon tonight. If you have a pair of binoculars, you MIGHT be able to locate Uranus before it sets. It is currently magnitude +5.9 making it easy to […]
Moon, Venus and Mars close in evening twilight tonight
(Posted 21 February 2015) If you are lucky enough to have clear skies tonight, look low above the Western horizon in the evening twilight to locate a slim crescent Moon plus the planets Venus and Mars. If the sky becomes dark enough before the Moon sets, you will notice that the ‘night’ or un-illuminated side […]
Moon passes Jupiter 2 – 4 March 2015. Great Red Sp…
Moon passes Jupiter 2 – 4 March 2015. Great Red Spot visible Tuesday night through a telescope nightskyonline.info/?p=16503
Known solar systems in our galaxy reaches 1,190 (i…
Known solar systems in our galaxy reaches 1,190 (including ours)! exoplanet.eu/catalog/
RT @earthskyscience: “Frozen River” by Tommy Elias…
RT @earthskyscience: “Frozen River” by Tommy Eliassen bit.ly/1Ao79bU Hamarøy, Nordland, Norway. Feb 26, 2015 at 2:00 am http://t.co/V7RlVrU6X4
Moon Phases pre/post test photocopy master
(Posted 29 November 2014) Use this test to assess the knowledge of your students before and after you explore the phases of the Moon with them. Background comments: Note that this Southern hemisphere version does not follow the scientific convention that North should be displayed at the top of the chart. I have chosen to design […]
Comparison image of giant sunspot AR2192 with Earth. Summary …. it’s really big!
(Posted 25 October 2014) The Earth is only 0.9% the diameter of the Sun. I have read that so many times but it is only when you start comparing the Earth to other celestial objects that you realise how small it is. Take for instance, the giant sunspot AR2192 currently located on the Earth facing […]
4 April 2015 Total Lunar Eclipse Information Sheet
(Posted 24 October 2014) To assist you with your planning for this event, I have uploaded an information sheet about it. Download the information sheet here: 4_April_2015_Total_Lunar_Eclipse_information_sheet
Comet Lovejoy (C/2014 Q2) easy to see from Canberra in binoculars (with image)
(Posted 14 January 2015) After what seems like weeks of cloud and/or rain in Canberra, the skies finally cleared for me to look for Comet Lovejoy (C/2014 Q2). It was very easy to see from Canberra in my 70 mm binoculars and bordered on the edge of unaided eye visibility from Southern Canberra’s relatively dark skies. […]
Mercury and Venus in the evening twilight (with image)
(Posted 14 January 2014) Mercury and Venus are currently visible low above the Western horizon during the bright evening twilight. They were a degree apart (two Moon widths) when the image was taken.
Moon and delicate crepuscular rays over Canberra (with image)
(Posted 2 January 2015) The crepuscular rays in the below image were cast by sunlight shining through storm clouds over the Brindabella Mountains.